Buffalo To Close Only 16 Branches
System will cut hours and staff and start charging for holds
By Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 9/15/2005
Thanks to the willingness of four rural towns to contribute local money for support, the board of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY, has announced the closure of 16, not 20, branches of the cash-strapped system. Still, the board has announced other cuts to save money.
Officials in Alden, Boston, Eden, and Marilla agreed to supplement county funds with local funds. Previously, two communities, Cheektowaga and Tonawanda, had announced they would close a total of four branch libraries, anticipating budget cuts.
At its meeting September 1, the board—acknowledging that the library was requesting $21.7 million in county support, some $7 million less than in 2004—stated that 100 employees, nearly one-third of the full-time work force, would be laid off. "Every library that survives this unfortunate process must do much more with far less next year," said library director Michael Mahaney.
Certain subject departments of the central library will be closed one day during the week. As of October 1, the library will institute new fees for holds: $1 for DVDs or VHS tapes and 25¢ for print or audio materials; juvenile items are excluded. The library hopes to gain $100,000 from these new measures.
